Security closure for a container



Oct. 14, 1969 Filed March 4, 1968 L. s. TURNER SECURITY CLOSURE FOR A CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 11 INVENTOR LLOYD s. TURNER v BY 7 ATTORNEY Oct. 14, 1969 L. s. TURNER 3,472,410

SECURITY CLOSURE FOR A CONTAINER Filed March 4, 1968 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

LLOYD S. TURNER ATTORNEY 06L 1969 L. s. TURNER SECURITY CLOSURE FOR A CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 4,

i v pm? v H 6 irei 2 INVENTOR; LLOYD S. TURNER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,472,410 SECURITY CLOSURE FOR A CONTAINER Lloyd S. Turner, Los Gatos, Calit., assiguor to The Basic Products Development Company, Oakland, Calif., a

corporation of California Filed Mar. 4, 1968, Ser. No. 710,172 Int. Cl. B65d 55/12 U.S. Cl. 215---9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A safety closure includes a screw-on cap, an intermediate rotatable member and an outer cover member. In a first axial position the outer member is freely rotatable and encloses the other members such that the cap may not be unscrewed from the container. The outer member may be depressed axially to lock with the cap, provided that both the intermediate member and the outer member have been rotated to positions of alignment with respect to the cap. To bring mating parts into alignment, the outer member must be turned in one direction to a first angular position for aligning the intermediate member; and thence the outer member must be turned in the other direction to a second angular position to align the outer members with both of the other members. Further intermediate members may be used to increase the complexity of the rotational movements required for removal of the cap from the container.

This invention relates to safety closures for bottles or other containers, and more particularly this invention relates to screw-on cap arrangements wherein a combination of special rotational positions must be made to allow the cap to be unscrewed.

It is sometimes necessary to store potentially dangerous medicines or pills in such a manner to prevent small children from gaining access thereto. Similarly a safe storage problem may exist to prevent children or others from gaining access to harmful substances such as fungicides, weed killers, insecticides, battery acids, harsh cleaning or scouring preparations, industrial solvents, and the like. Other substances, such as gasoline, may be subject to pilferage and it is sometimes desirable to provide security caps for cans or tanks which may be untwisted for removal.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved security closure assembly for a bottle or other container having a removable screw-on or twist on cap, and more particularly, it is an object to provide a safety closure having a rotatable outer member covering a screw-on cap such that the outer member must be selectively rotated to align parts whereupon the outer member may be locked to the cap to allow the cap to be unscrewed by rotation of the outer member.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved security closure assembly wherein a screw-on cap is covered by an outer member which is freely rotatable with respect to the cap, and wherein a rotational combination must be turned to properly align one or more intermediate members before the outer member may be depressed into and locked onto the cap to permit unscrewing thereof.

Another object is to provide an improved safety clo sure for a container wherein a screw-on cap is covered with an outer member having a transparent panel such that the rotational position of the outer member with respect to the cap and underlying parts may be seen by viewing the working parts or viewing special indicia through the transparent panel; and more particularly, it is an object to provide similar names or trademarks on 3,472,410 Patented Oct. 14, 1969 the cap and underlying parts and on the outer member such that the parts may be rotationally positioned in alignment with each other by causing the name or trademark on the outer member to overlie and coincide with an aligned name or trademark on the underlying parts.

Yet a further object is to provide a cap or container closure which may be used as a security cap with a combination of rotation positionings required for opening, or alternatively, may be used as a conventional screw-on type closure. More specifically, it is an object to provide a cap with an outer cover member which is axially movable between a secured position and an unsecured position such that the cap may be screwed upon a container and may deliberately be retained in the unsecured axial position whereby the security combination need not be employed to unscrew and remove the cap.

Other objects and advantage will become apparent throughout the progress of the specification which follows. The accompanying drawings illustrate certain selected embodiments of this invention and the views therein are as follows:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded view illustrating one embodiment of this invention wherein the various parts are shown in perspective;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a screw cap and intermediate disc assembled, but showing the disc out of alignment;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the cap and disc similar to FIGURE 2, but with the disc in alignment with the cap;

FIGURES 4A, 4B and 4C are similar top views of the cap and disc assembled with a phantom indication of the outer member which will cover the cap and intermediate disc member-the parts being shown in different states of alignment;

FIGURES 5A and 5B are similar vertical sections of the complete assembly showing the outer cover member in two axial positions;

FIGURE 6 is an exploded view of a second embodiment of this invention with the parts therein shown in perspective;

FIGURES 7A and 7B are similar perspective views of the cap and intermediate disc member of the second embodiment in two states of alignment;

FIGURE 8 is an exploded view of a third embodiment of this invention wherein a name or trademark is used for purposes of determining rotational alignment of the parts;

FIGURES 9A and 9B are similar perspective views of the assembled cap and intermediate disc members of the third embodiment shown in two states of alignment;

FIGURE 10 is an exploded view of yet another embodiment of this invention wherein the parts including two intermediate ring members are shown in perspective;

FIGURES 11A and 11B are similar vertical sections of the embodiment of FIGURE 10 showing the parts in two states of alignment; and

FIGURES 12A, 12B, 12C, and 12D are similar top views of the embodiment of FIGURE 10 with the intermediate ring members in various states of alignment and with the outer cover member in phantom to show the parts thereunder.

Briefly state, according to this invention, the safety closure may include a screw-cap 21 which may be secured upon a bottle 22 (see FIGURE 5B). A cylindrical cavity 23 contains an intermediate member which may be a disc 24. An outer member 25 encloses or covers the cap 21 and intermediate member 22. A rib or key 26 extends downwardly from the inner surface of the outer member 25, and a corresponding channel or keyway 27 extends across the top surface of the disc 24. The cap 21 contains short channels or keyways 28; and when the inter mediate member 24 is rotationally aligned with the cap 21, the keyways 27 and 28 form a single straight channel to receive the key 26. A stud 29 will engage the key 26 to transmit rotational movement from the outer cover member 25 to the intermediate member 24 (see FIGURE 4A); and the intermediate member may be aligned with the cap 21. The outer member 25 may then be rotated oppositely into alignment with the cap 21. With both members in alignment with the cap 21, the outer member 25 may be depressed as shown in FIGURE B whereby the key 26 descends into the keyways 28, thereby locking the cap and the outer member together such that the cap may be unscrewed by rotation of the outer member.

The intermediate member may comprise a ring 31 which may be positioned in a circular channel of the top surface of the cap 21a as shown in FIGURE 6. In this case, the keyway 27a and the key 26a are somewhat shorter radial segments.

The embodiment of FIGURE 6 provides that at least the top panel 32 of the outer member 25 may be of transparent material. Indicia such as numbers 33 may be etched or otherwise applied to either the top surface or the inside surface of this panel, and a reference mark such as a circle 34 may be positioned on the cap 21a. When assembled, the rotational position of the outer member 25 with respect to the cap 21 may be determined by reading the numeral 33 corresponding with the reference mark 34.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 8, the top panel 32 of the outer member 25 is of clear or transparent material and a trademark or name is molded into the member 25 such that the letters 34 will extend downwardly in relief and will be visible through the transparent panel 32. The cap 21 and the intermediate member 27b will have the same name or trademark in complementary relief. Thus, the letters or parts of the trademark will be in raised relief on one member and will be depressed or complementary on the other members. The intermediate member 27b may be rotated by means of a protruding stud 29 which will engage a corresponding part of the outer member 25, and the inner member may be thereby rotated from a random position as shown in FIGURE 9A to an aligned position as shown in FIGURE 98. When the intermediate member 27b is aligned with the cap 21 as in FIGURE 9B, the outer member 25 may be depressed such that the surfaces of the relief name or trademark will mate and lock with the corresponding complementary surfaces between the outer member 25 and the cap 21.

A further extension of this invention is shown in FIG- URE wherein is included a pair of intermediate ring members 36 and 36. The ring 36 is slightly smaller in diagram and will be positioned within the ring 36. Both rings are assembled within the circular channel 37. As shown in FIGURE 10, the ring 36 includes a tab 38 for engagement with a further tab 39 included as a part of the outer ring 36. The tab 39 extends upwardly for engagement with a key 26a extending down from the inner surface of the outer member 25. Thus, rotational movement of the outer member 25 is transmitted to a first ring 36, which in turn transmits the rotational movement to the second ring 36. Both intermediate rings may thereby be aligned with reference to the cap 21 by movement of the outer member 25. The outer member 25 is moved in a first direction to position the ring 36. Secondly, the outer member 25 is rotated in the opposite direction to align the ring 36'. Finally, the rotation of the outer member is again reversed such that the outer member itself may be aligned with both intermediate rings and the cap 21. When all parts are in alignment, the outer member may be depressed as shown in FIGURE 11B such that the outer member is locked to the cap which may then be unscrewed from the container.

To remove the cap from a bottle in accordance with the embodiment of FIGURE 1, the outer cover member 25 may be turned in a first direction until the intermediate member 24 becomes aligned with reference to the cap 21. Thence, the outer cover member is turned in the opposite direction to a position of alignment with both of the intermediate member 24 and the cap 21. Thus, a simple combination is used wherein the cover member is turned in one direction to a first position, and thence in the opposite direction to a second position. This is best illustrated by FIGURES 4A, 4B and 40. As shown by the arrows in FIGURE 4A the outer member is being rotated to the left and similarly the intermediate member 24 is being likewise rotated to the left. The key 26, shown in section FIGURE 4A is in contact with the stud 29 and is transmitting the rotational movement from the outer member to the intermediate member 24. As shown in FIGURE 4B, the intermediate member has been aligned with the cap 21. The outer member is being rotated to the right as shown by the arrows and the key 26 has separated from the stud 29 such that the intermediate member is not being rotated. In FIGURE 40 the key 26 of the outer member has become aligned with the keyways 27 and 28 of the cap and the intermediate member; and the outer member may be depressed as shown in FIGURE 5B wherein the key 26 descends into the keyways 27 and 28. Although no indicia is shown to indicate the relative rotational positions of the members, this embodiment will be quite workable if the outer member 25 is formed of a clear plastic or other transparent material such that alignment of the keyways may be observed by looking through the top panel essentially as shown in FIGURES 4A, 4B and 40.

Obviously, the intermediate member 24 must be in frictional engagement with the cap 21 such that rotation of the outer member will not change the alignment of the intermediate member except when the stud 29 engages the key 26. This may be accomplished by dimensioning the intermediate member to have a thickness somewhat less than the depth of the cavity 39. In this case, the key 26 will extend completely across the cavity 39 without frictionally engaging the intermediate member 24. As shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 a slight cam surface, or rounding of the sharp corners of the keyways 28 is desirable since it would be possible for the key 26 to drop slightly into the keyway 28 even though the intermediate member 24 were mis-aligned. The rounded edges or cam surfaces will cause the key to ride up over and not lock to the keyway 28 unless the intermediate member 24 were aligned to permit the outer member to descend into the depressed position as shown in FIG- URE 5B.

The embodiments of FIGURE 6 and of FIGURE 8 operate in a mode similar to that of FIGURE 1. In each case, there is a single intermediate member which must be rotated into a position of alignment with reference to the cap 21 by turning of the outer member in a first direction. Thence, the outer member is turned in the other direction until the outer member is aligned with both of the other members. In each case, the outer member may not be moved axially to lock the mating parts together until all parts are properly aligned with each other, since the cap 21 is the only member that is not rotatable, all of the other members must be aligned with respect to the cap. In the first three embodiments (FIGURE 1, FIGURE 6 and FIGURE 8), the intermediate member is first aligned with the cap, and thence the outer member is aligned with both of the other members.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 10, an additional member must be brought into alignment, and a more complex combination of movements is required. As shown in the drawing, the arrangement of the tabs or pawls 38 and 39 is such that the outer member 25 engages and rotates the larger or outside ring 36' which in turn engages and rotates the smaller inside ring 36. Obviously, the tab arrangement could be changed such that the smaller inside ring could be rotated by the outer member, and the larger outside ring could be rotated by the inside ring. Therefore, the particular arrangement shown in FIGURES and 12A, 12B, 12C and 12D are one example and it will be appreciated that there will be other workable arrangements.

FIGURES 12A through 12D illustrate the method of aligning the members for removing the security closure of FIGURE 10. Firstly, as shown in FIGURE 12A, the outer member is being rotated clockwise or to the right as shown by arrows 48. The key 26 has engaged the tab 39, and the larger outside ring 36 is likewise being rotated to the right as shown by arrow 49. The tab 39 has engaged the tab 38 such that the rotation is transmitted to the smaller inside ring 36 as shown by the arrows 50. FIGURE 12A shows all members out of alignment, such that the keyway 28a of the cap 21, a keyway or gap 51 in the inside ring 36 and a keyway or gap 52 in the outside ring 36 are all at random positions with respect to each other.

Secondly, as shown in FIGURE 12B, the first intermediate member, the smaller inside ring 36 is aligned with respect to the cap 21; and specifically the keyway or gap 51 of the inside ring 36 is aligned with the keyway 28a of the cap 21. As indicated by the arrows 48', the outer member is being turned counterclockwise or to the left. The key 26a has been rotated more than one complete revolution and has engaged the tab 39 to cause the larger outside ring 36 to rotate as shown by arrows 49'. The tabs 38 and 39 have disengaged from each other, and therefore, the smaller inside ring 51 remains stationary in a position of alignment with the cap 21.

Thirdly, FIGURE 12C shows the larger outside ring 36' in alignment with the cap 21 and with the previously aligned inside ring 36. The keyway or gap 52 is shown in alignment with both the keyway 28a of the cap 21 and the keyway 51 of the inside ring 36. As indicated by the arrow 48 the outer member 25 is again being rotatedcounterclockwise or to the right; but since the key 26a is disengaging from the tab 39, the two intermediate members 36 and 36 remain in a position of alignment with the cap 21.

FIGURE 12D illustrates a final position with all members in alignment. The outer member 25 has been rotated until the key 26a is in alignment with all of the previously aligned keyways, and in this position the key 26a may descend into the aligned keyways 28a, 51 and 52.

The bottle cap 21 may be formed with an outwardly turned flange 41 at the lower extremity thereof. The outer member 25 has an inwardly turned flange 42 (see FIG- URE 1) to engage the flange 41 and contain the cap within the enclosure of the outer member 25. The outer member 25 is mounted to move axially from a first position disengaged from the cap to a second position in engagement with the cap. To provide a slight snap action, symmetrically spaced beads 43 are provided within the outer member 25. The beads 43 are inward protrusions engaging the flange '41 to hold the outer member in either of the two desired positions. It is contemplated that the safety closure of this invention will be molded out of a plastic which will be somewhat pliable or resilient; and therefore, the position of the outer member 25 may be changed by snapping the flange 41 upwardly or downwardly over the beads 43. Thus, as shown in FIGURE 5A, one bead 43 lies in a position above the flange 41, while in the similar FIGURE 5B the flange 41 is over the head 43.

As shown in FIGURE 6, the indicia 33 are numerals etched or otherwise applied to the surface of the outer member 25 and an index mark shown as a circle 34 will give an indication of the rotational position of the parts when viewed through the transparent panel in relation to the numerals 33. The embodiment of FIGURE 10 provides indicia 45 applied to the top surface of the cap 21; and an opening or transparent port 46 may be provided in an otherwise opaque panel of the outer member 25 such that the numerals 45 may be seen therethrough.

As indicated above, the intermediate member(s) are first aligned with respect to the rotational position of the cap 21, and finally the outer member is rotated into alignment with the cap and with the previously aligned intermediate member(s). The outer member comprises mating surfaces which are complementary to surfaces or parts of the cap, and of the intermediate members. As indicated above the outer member may include a key and the underlying members may include keyways. However, there is no reason why these parts could not be reversed, such that the keyway is a part of the outer member and the underlying members include mating keys. Indeed, it is unnecessary that keys and keyways are employed. The mating parts may be discontinuous between the surface of the cap and the surfaces of the intermediate member(s). Any arrangement of mating surfaces between the outer member and the underlying members would provide a workable arrangement.

It will be appreciated that the intermediate member(s) prevent the outer member 25 from being depressed into the locked axial position with the cap '21, unless all members are in alignment with each other. Even though the mating parts of the intermediate members must engage the complementary parts of the outer member, the intermediate members must first be rotated to a special position with respect to the cap. Since the cap is the only member which is not rotatable, the position of the cap provides a reference; and all of the other members must be rotatably positioned with respect to that reference. Therefore, it is correct terminology to state that the vari ous other members must be aligned with the cap. Thus, as a first step, an intermediate member is rotated to a position of alignment with the cap even though the mating surfaces of the intermediate member bear no particular relation with other surfaces on the cap, except the configuration is obtained to complement a configuration of surfaces on the outer member.

When this safety closure is removed from its container, the various parts will remain in alignment with each other and the outer member 25 will remain in the depressed or engaged axial position with respect to the cap. To replace the closure upon the container, the whole closure assembly is simply screwed or twisted onto the container and is tightened thereon as an ordinary screw-on bottle cap. If it is not desired to use the security features of this device, the outer member may be allowed to remain in the depressed or engaged .position over the cap; and in this position the device may be used as an ordinary, nonsecurity closure. 'On the other hand, the outer member 25 may be snapped upward into the raised axial position, and then may be given a twist to secure the closure. Therefore, it must be appreciated that this container closure may be used optionally as a simple non-security twist-on cap, or alternatively, as a full security device.

As indicated theretofore, this security closure may be used to prevent small children from gaining access to potentially harmful substances. In this case, the rotational combination may be relatively simple using only significant numbers for the rotational positions, and with printed instruction embossed or printed on the outer member. Thus, the combination could be turn right a full turn to number 1, turn left to number 2, etc. This arrangement coupled with printed instructions would bafile a small child, but would be easy for a housewife or other adult capable of reading the instructions.

Other applications for this invention may include greater security to guard against pilferage of gasoline tanks or the like. In this case a twist-on closure may be provided with two or more intermediate members such that a sophisticated rotational combination may be used. In this case, the combination could be maintained as a secret to prevent unauthorized persons from removing the security closure.

A further application of this invention would be for a novelty use, such as a liquor bottle. In this case, the optional security feature may be important. Since the outer member may have a snap action axial movement, the closure for the liquor bottle may be secured or nonsecured at the option of the host or owner of the liquor.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A safety closure for a container comprising a cap adapted to screw on the container, an outer member enclosing the cap, and an intermediate member rotatably mounted therebetween; said outer member being mounted to move axially between a first position and a second position, said cap and said outer member having complementary mating surfaces, said intermediate member and said outer member having complementary mating surfaces, said mating surfaces being disengaged when the outer member is in the first axial position to allow the outer member to rotate freely with respect to the cap, said intermediate member and said outer member having engageable parts such that rotational movement of the outer member will be transmitted to the intermediate member, said intermediate member being completely enclosed and isolated from any external contact and being movable only by rotational movement transmitted from the outer member, said outer member being operable to rotate the intermediate member into alignment with the cap when the outer member is rotated in one direction to the first position with respect to the cap, thence said outer member being aligned with both the cap and the intermediate member by rotation in the other direction to a second position with respect to the cap, said mating surfaces being operable to allow the outer member to move axially to the second position and lock to the cap when both members are aligned with respect to the cap.

2. A safety closure in accordance with claim 1 wherein th cap contains a cylindrical cavity, and wherein the intermediate member is positioned within the cavity.

3. A safety closure in accordance with claim 1 wherein the outer member includes a radially extending key and wherein both the intermediate member and the cap contain radially extending keyways which may be rotationally aligned with each other to allow the key to descend therein when the outer member moves into the second position to lock the outer member to the cap.

4. A safety closure in accordance with claim 3 wherein the intermediate member includes a protruding stud for engagement with the key of the outer member for transmitting rotational movement from the outer member to the intermediate member.

5. A safety closure in accordance with claim 1 wherein the cap contains a circular groove coaxial therewith and wherein a radial keyway intersects the groove on one side thereof, and wherein the intermediate member comprises a ring positioned within the groove, said ring having a radial keyway therethrough which may be aligned with the keyway of the cap, and wherein the outer member includes a key which may descend into the keyways of both the cap and the intermediate member when the members are all aligned.

6. A safety closure in accordance with claim 5 further comprising a second ring with a radial keyway therethrough, one ring being of lesser diameter and being positioned concentric with and inside the other ring, both rings being positioned within the circular groove of the cap, and both rings being rotatable such that the keyways of both rings may be aligned with the keyway of the cap.

7. A safety closure in accordance with claim 6 wherein a first of the rings includes a part engageable with the outer member for transmitting rotational movement from the outer member to the first ring, and wherein the two rings have parts engageable with each other for transmitting rotational movement from the first ring to the second ring.

8. A safety closure in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the outer member is formed of a transparent material, with indicia therein and wherein a reference mark is included on the cap whereby the rela tive rotational positions of the outer member with respect to the cap may be determined from the positions of the reference mark With respect to the indicia.

9. A safety closure in accordance with claim 1 wherein indicia are included on the cap and wherein a clear opening is provided in the cover whereby the relative rotational positions of the outer member with respect to the cap may be determined by viewing the indicia on the cap through the clear opening in the cover.

10. A safety closure in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least a part of the outer member is formed of a transparent material with a name formed in relief on an inside surface thereof which will be visible externally through the transparent material, a portion of the name being formed in complementary relief on the cap, and the remaining portion of the name being formed in complementary relief on the intermediate member, said name being the mating surfaces between the outer member and both the intermediate member and the cap whereby the intermediate member is rotatable to properly align the parts of the name on the cap and on the intermediate member and whereby the outer member is rotatable to overlay the name formed on the inside surface of the outer member with the aligned name extending across both the cap and the intermediate member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS WILLIAM T. DIXSON, IR., Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 21546, 98 

